Minute with Mia: Should the past movies of the accused be tossed out?

As more and more reports of sexual assault and abuse flood into our news feeds, certain questions related to these stars and their life off camera are likely to arise. As of late, those questions have revolved around sexual misconduct. Women and men from all fields have come forward with their stories and the #MeToo movement has been sweeping headlines since 2017. The majority of those being accused contribute to the music industry, political arena, and sports teams.

As seen with people such as ex-Ariz. Rep. Don Shooter, who was recently expelled from his seat in the House of Representatives, serious accusations are beginning to have serious consequences.

But the majority of perpetrators originate from the movie industry. Such fields are created for the enjoyment of the public.

The tricky piece of the puzzle is the work these stars have produced in the past. What do we do with movies such as American Beauty and Café Society? Does the presence of Kevin Spacey and Woody Allen warrant throwing the whole thing away?

These entertainers are paid to pretend, so once their true personalities are introduced, it becomes important to acknowledge the border between their work and their dispositions.

This border is what gives us the chance to still appreciate the work of the past without directly supporting those guilty of sexual assault.

It takes more than one person to make a movie. It takes a crew of make-up artists and writers and cameramen and other actors. They all throw their full efforts behind the production and what results is a feature film. In some cases, that movie even goes on to win awards for different aspects of it.

Baby Driver was an iconic movie and will forever change the way music is used in movies. Director Edgar Wright made the soundtrack a defining point in the plot, not just an accompaniment. On top of that, Ansel Elgort was nominated for a Golden Globe as the Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy.

But Kevin Spacey plays a major role in the movie.

While yes, Spacey’s presence significantly taints the movie as a whole, all the other components should not ignored and cast away. Wright’s direction of the movie created something new and Elgort’s witty yet heartfelt performance kept audiences engaged throughout. Those facts should not be lost because of Spacey’s (disgusting) personal life.

The solution is simply ending his career now. Director Ridley Scott even cut Spacey out from a movie that had finished production and was set to premiere in theaters six weeks once he was made aware of the allegations against Spacey. Lead actress Michelle Williams even offered part of her salary to help finance the endeavor.

So end his career now. End all of the careers that included sexual harassment or assault. But the movies those people helped bring to life before the allegations and accusations broke should not be burned at the stake along with them.

Spacey alone sexually abused those boys. So send him there alone.